


Secret Histories

by blahblahwhy



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Epistolary, Extra Treat, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:02:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27186970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blahblahwhy/pseuds/blahblahwhy
Summary: A selection of correspondence between two historians at the brink of a great discovery.
Relationships: Andy | Andromache of Scythia/Quynh | Noriko, Original Female Character/Original Female Character
Comments: 11
Kudos: 23
Collections: Fic In A Box





	Secret Histories

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Selden](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selden/gifts).



My Dearest Veronica, 

Meeting you at the Gateway Club’s Historical Society Evening last night was nothing short of spectacular. I think of our shared drinks and discussions regarding our historical studies often. The conversation stimulated me in a manner nearly forgotten. As for the evening that followed, I’m afraid stimulating is the only word that comes to mind. (Perhaps it would be more precise to say that “stimulating” is the solitary word that comes to mind that would not immediately cause these papers to combust under my pen.)

You promised your correspondence and I dearly hope it to be so. I desire your opinion on a new piece I found in the Royal Archives. I know neither its provenance, nor its era, for the box it came in was either unmarked or lost its label in the centuries. The leather of the box is old, cracked and ragged, smelling of dust and cobwebs. The interior of the box held three items: a letter in a practiced hand describing an “eternity of longing for the wine of your lips” between the writer and the recipient. They had, it seems, been traveling companions for quite some time, though they appear to have been traveling separately at the time the letter was penned. 

Perhaps it is nothing more than wishful thinking on my part, but I cannot help but notice that the writer has a distinctly feminine glint to her words, a turn of phrase here and there, and that she addresses the letter to “My Moon Goddess.” 

The second item in the box was a braid of entwined hair, a braid six inches long, and clasped with a golden thread. Both strands of hair are black, but they clearly come from different heads, as the textures do not match. 

I have included a facsimile of her letter. I did not include the lock of hair, but instead have recreated it with a lock of my own. This I send primarily for demonstrative purposes, though if you would like to keep it or entwine it with a lock of your own hair, I would be most appreciative.

Please write back as soon as you are able. I eagerly await your reply.

Yours,

Cecily

* * *

My darling Cecily,

It was the greatest joy of my life to receive your letter. It shone a beautiful light into my day I feel was desperately needed. 

In the time since we last spoke, I have been able to continue my studies of Ancient Greek poetry dating back from around 500 years before the birth of Christ. Ah, you may be saying, she is studying Sappho’s verse. While it is true that I set out to study her verse, It may just be a flight of fancy, but my poet appears to be a contemporary of Sappho. Some of my colleagues believe the work to be recent counterfeits of Sappho’s work, but I feel certain several of my conjectures will prove correct. First, that my poet is not Sappho, but instead a second poetess, singing the praises of women, or at least of one woman in particular. Second, that the poetry truly is that ancient. 

I’ll admit I have very little proof. The paper upon which it stands is certainly very old -- much older than our friend Gutenberg’s marvelous machine! Like your documents, it has very little identifying information beyond the words themselves, and even those do not give so many hints as to the provenance of the author. The verses are written or reproduced in a distinctly different hand than that of Sappho. 

Although I know this to be true, it still thrills me each time I think on it: This poetry from centuries upon centuries ago speaks of a love much like ours, my darling. Her love, however, is described as having sable hair with eyes as deep as the ocean. I would and describe your eyes as such, my darling. 

What a thrill to discover more women throughout history who have lived and loved just as we have. 

I long for the day when we are reunited. Please respond with your findings and current studies at your earliest convenience.

Until then, I shall entreat the Goddess Aphrodite as did Sappho: Dear Lady, don’t crush my heart.

Yours forever,

Veronica

P.S. Enclosed please find a lock of my hair interwoven into your own, as you requested. Of course I would oblige. I have taken my share of that which you sent to me and stored it in a small locket that will rest forever on my breast. I think of you every moment I see the locket, which is, I assure you, quite often. 

* * *

Dearest Cecily, 

Thank you for your letter last week. Although I had heard mention of Sappho’s poetry before (and who, living as we do, has not!), I had never taken it upon myself to sit and read her verse. And oh! What a revelation. 

Let me put any fears to rest: I would no more be capable or willing to crush your heart, (nor allow it to come to harm from the lovely Aphrodite, mortal or otherwise), than I would be able to throw myself from a cliff and rise the next day to make my morning coffee. Your heart is safe, resting here with me. You needn’t worry. It is currently making itself useful as a paperweight for my copious notes on eleventh century Vietnamese royalty. 

I do so love poetry, my dear, especially some as familiar as that. You may find that ironic, however, in my next statement. In contrast to your beautiful love verses, I have chosen to focus my current efforts on some lesser known works by warriors from several hundred years ago. I am working to decipher song texts and Asiatic scripts, which is proving difficult but not impossible. My Vietnamese has improved somewhat, and I look forward to an acceleration of my studies. I am finding Alexandre de Rhodes's  _ Dictionarium Annamiticum Lusitanum et Latinum _ useful, though I am not at all sure it will prove ultimately useful, as the document is not written in Latin script. Frustration upon frustration mounts, but I am sure my endeavors will be worthwhile. 

The document I am currently working on was written during the rule of the Lý dynasty. I will keep you updated on my progress! I feel certain, and I am not entirely sure why, that this document was written by a female warrior. I suppose it is much like your conjecture (which is more than conjecture, I understand), that your poetry also came from a woman not unlike ourselves.

Love always,

Your Veronica

P.S. Thank you for the lock of hair. I shall cherish it beyond any understanding. 

**Author's Note:**

> This prompt was too, too good and I have not done it near enough justice.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[podfic] Secret Histories](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27886981) by [blahblahwhy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blahblahwhy/pseuds/blahblahwhy), [Vaysh-podfics (Vaysh)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vaysh/pseuds/Vaysh-podfics)




End file.
